The Boutique Lifestyle and Lodging Association (BLLA), in partnership with Hospitality Design (HD) magazine, announced the inaugural winners of the Boutique & Lifestyle Hospitality Awards at the 2010 Hospitality Design Boutique Exposition & Conference (HD Boutique) on September 15th. Taking home top honors were the Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee as Boutique Hotel of the Year, the Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque as Lifestyle Hotel of the Year, and Morgans Hotel Group, New York, as Boutique & Lifestyle Hotelier of the Year. Top-performing boutique hotels were recognized for overall excellence in six distinct categories: design & architecture, sustainability, food & beverage, customer service, marketing & sales, and operational performance.
“The awards should be treated as a gift for the collaborative effort of the hotel staff, owners, managers, advisors, and designers who have greatly contributed to the overall quality of the winning properties and are, therefore, most deserving of these awards,” says BLLA founder Frances Kiradjian. “Winners have now reset the bar for quality and serve as examples for others in this hospitality sector. Their prestigious awards attest to that.”
Michelle Finn, vice president of Hospitality Design Group, the Nielsen Company, together with Kiradjian, jointly hosted the luncheon event and presented the pewter bell-shaped awards designed by Rocky Mountain Hardware, which were developed in support of the theme for this year’s awards, “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” so named by Kiradjian after Ernest Hemingway’s famous novel.
The Luncheon Awards event also included a panel, comprised of industry leaders, who led a discussion of the trends and forecasts within the industry titled, “State of the Industry for Boutique & Lifestyle Properties.” Moderated by John Russell, CEO, NYLO Hotels, the distinguished panelists included: Janis Cannon, vice president, IHG Global Brand Management, Hotel Indigo; Jim Chu, senior vice president, Hyatt (Hyatt Place); Michael Depatie, CEO, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants; and Raul Leal, formerly of Desires Hotels and now with Virgin Hotels.
HD Boutique also announced its best booth winners. Click here to learn more.
Pictured above: Janis Cannon, vice president, IHG, Hotel Indigo; Raul Leal, formerly of Desires Hotels and now with Virgin Hotels; Michael Depatie, CEO, Kimpton Hotels; Michelle Finn, vice president, Hospitality Design Group, Nielsen Business Media; Jim Chu, senior vice president, Hyatt Place; Frances Kiradjian, BLLA founder & chair; and John Russell, CEO, NYLO Hotels.
